Accused File Application in Islamabad Court
Lawyer and human rights activist Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, have taken a new legal step in their ongoing social media posts case. On Wednesday, the couple filed a formal application in an Islamabad court requesting that the Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) be summoned as a witness.
The application was submitted during a hearing before Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka. The case is registered with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (PECA).
Mazari and Chattha face allegations of using social media to incite divisions on linguistic grounds. The prosecution has also accused them of creating the impression that Pakistan’s armed forces were involved in terrorism within the country.
Reference to Military Press Conference
In their written application, the accused referred to a press conference addressed by the military spokesperson on January 6. They argued that the press briefing directly discussed matters that are currently under trial in the same court.
The application stated that the press conference was aired across all national media outlets. It also noted that the content remains publicly available online. According to the defence, the military spokesperson made references to issues that form the basis of the prosecution’s case.
“This is the exact prosecution case that is pending adjudication before this learned court,” the application stated. The defence argued that summoning the DG ISPR was necessary to ensure transparency and fairness in the trial process.
Mazari and Chattha further contended that their request aligns with the principles of natural justice. They said the Constitution guarantees the right to a fair trial and due process for accused persons. The defence maintained that calling the DG ISPR as a witness would help clarify facts already discussed in public forums.
Court Response and Case Background
After hearing initial arguments, the court directed that a copy of the application be provided to the prosecution. The judge said a decision on the request would be made after hearing the prosecution’s stance.
Later, the court observed that it would issue a ruling on the application after recording the statements of the accused under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The case proceedings continued with the cross-examination of prosecution witness Shahroz Riaz.
During cross-examination, the witness made several admissions regarding how the inquiry was initiated. He also acknowledged details about the collection and handling of the alleged social media content.
The hearing was adjourned until January 8.
The case originated from a complaint filed on August 12, 2025, at the NCCIA in Islamabad. The complaint accused Mazari of spreading narratives that allegedly aligned with hostile and proscribed organizations. Her husband was implicated for sharing some of her social media posts.
The first information report claimed that the accused held security forces responsible for missing persons cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. It also alleged that they portrayed the armed forces as ineffective against banned groups, including the Balochistan Liberation Army and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.
The accused were formally indicted in the case in October last year, and the trial has been ongoing since then.
